世界小史 第100期:不平坦

 　　So this was the Enlightenment that the Buddha¹ experienced under the fig² tree:

　　这便是释迦牟尼在无花果树下所参悟的道：

　　the realization³ that, instead of giving in to our wishes, we can break free from them – rather like when we are feeling thirsty and take no notice, and the feeling goes away.

　　与其迁就我们的愿望，我们可以摆脱他们——而不像我们觉得口渴时，不予理会，口渴的感觉就没有了。

　　You can see that the way to do this is far from easy.

　　你能想象得出来通往这个境界的道路是不平坦的。

　　The Buddha called it the 'middle way', because it lay between useless self-torment and thoughtless pleasure-seeking.

　　释迦牟尼称这条道路为“中间道路”，因为它在无益的自我折磨和无思虑的舒适生活之间通向真正的解脱。

　　The important thing is to find the right balance: in what we believe, in the decisions we make, in what we say and what we do, in the way we live,这里的关键是寻找到正确的平衡：正当的信仰，正当的决定，正当的言语，正当的行为，正当的生活，in our ambitions, in our conscience and our innermost thoughts.

　　正当的追求，正当的意识，正当的沉思。

　　That was the essential message of the Buddha's sermons,这是释迦牟尼宣讲的教义中最重要的内容，

　　and these sermons made such a deep impression on people that many followed him and worshipped him as a god.

　　这种讲道给人们留下如此深刻的印象，致使许多人追随他并像敬奉一位神那样敬奉他。

　　Today there are almost as many Buddhists⁴ in the world as there are Christians⁵, especially in Southeast Asia, in Sri Lanka, Tibet, China and Japan.

　　今天世界上的佛教徒几乎与基督徒一样多，特别是在东南亚，斯里兰卡，中国（尤其是西藏），日本。

　　But not many of them are able to live their lives in accordance with the Buddha's teachings, and so achieve that inner calm.

　　但是只有少数信徒能够按照释迦牟尼的教义生活并达到内心清静的境界。

 

1 Buddha   

n.佛；佛像；佛陀

参考例句：

• Several women knelt down before the statue of Buddha and prayed.几个妇女跪在佛像前祈祷。
• He has kept the figure of Buddha for luck.为了图吉利他一直保存着这尊佛像。

2 fig   

n.无花果(树)

参考例句：

• The doctor finished the fig he had been eating and selected another.这位医生吃完了嘴里的无花果，又挑了一个。
• You can't find a person who doesn't know fig in the United States.你找不到任何一个在美国的人不知道无花果的。

3 realization   

n.实现；认识到，深刻了解

参考例句：

• We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
• He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。

4 Buddhists   

n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Jesuits in a phase of ascendancy, persecuted and insulted the Buddhists with great acrimony. 处于地位上升阶段的耶稣会修士迫害佛教徒，用尖刻的语言辱骂他们。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The return of Saivite rule to central Java had brought no antagonism between Buddhists and Hindus. 湿婆教在中爪哇恢复统治后，并没有导致佛教徒与印度教徒之间的对立。 来自辞典例句

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。